Game apparatus



Jan. 2e, .1943. E. ROCUSKIE 2,309,216

GAME APPARATUS Filed Dec.s, 1940r y 2 Smeets-sheet 1 ERRORS I LAPs J z v r -INVENTO Jan. 26, 1943.

E. RocusKlE 2,309,216 GAME APPARATUS Filed Dec. 6, 1940 2 Sheets-Sheet? IOC f n a 3 ERRORS v LAP5 Wig @w54 my@ INVENTOR fou/Aw Rocas/ms.

Patented Jan. 26, 1943 UNITED STATES ii'iiii'i QFiTICE.

GAME APPARATUS Edward Rocuskie, New York, N. Y.

Application December 6, 1940, Serial No. 368,835

4 Claims.

This invention rela-tes to game apparatus. It is particularly directed to a game of skill which creates an illusion of driving one or more automobiles on a race track, r a ship sailingr through a mine or submarine infested sea, or moving any other object through a field, and is generally an improvement of the structure shown in my Patent No. 2,108,726, issued February 15, 1938.

An object of this invention is to provide a game of the character described including an electric motor operated rotary disc carrying electrical contacts, and means operated individually by pair of contestants to control the position of a pair of objects on the disc as the disc rotates, and electric means to record the number of contacts made by each of said objects with the electric contacts on the disc.

A further object of this invention is to provide in a game of `the character described, a rotary disc having a non-annular path marked thereon, and means controlled by a player to retain an object on said path as the disc rotates, and means Ito count the number of revolutions of the disc While the object is kept on the path and the number of times the object moves off the path onto another part of the disc.

A still further object of this invention is to provide game apparatus of the character described, in which each player Controls the movement of an article eccentrically pivoted and mounted on a rotating disc, and means to record the degree of skill With which the article is controlled as the disc rotates, means being further provided to manually operate the recording den vice to bring it to a predetermined position at which to start the game.

Yet a further object of this invention is to provide a simple, rugged and durable game apparatus of the character described, which shall be relatively inexpensive to manufacture, which shall test the skill of the players, and which shall be amusing and practical and eicent to a high degree in use.

Other objects of this nvention Will in part be obvious and in part hereinafter pointed out.

The invention accordingly consists in the features of construction, combinations of elements. and arrangement of parts which will be exempliiied in the construction hereinafter described. Iand of which the scope of application will be indicated in the following claims.

In the accompanying drawing-s, in which is shown various possible illustrative embodiments of this invention,

Fig. 1 is a top plan View of apparatus embodying the invention;

Fig. la is a crossesectionalV view vtaken on line lila-ita of Fig. 1;

Fig. 2 is a Wiring diagram illustrating the recording and motor operated lmechanism for the apparatus shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a View similar to Fig. l, but showing the position of the vehicle simulating member on the track simulating path of the disc;

Fig. fi is a Wiring diagram, similar to Fig. 3, but illustrating the position of the parts after the automobile has contacted the conductor which traverses the track simulating portion of the disc;

Fig. 5 is a side elevational View of the automobile simulating member shown in Figs. 1 and 3; land Fig. 6 is a bottom plan view thereof.

Referring to Figs. 1 `to 6 there is disclosed game apparatus ille, embodying the invention. The apparatus loc is played by a single player and includes a turntable or disc |25? rotated in any suitable manner by mechanism such as disclosed in my Patent No. 2,108,726 driven by motor instead oi manually as shown in said patent. The apparatus idc also includes operating mechanism to control movement of a vehicle simulating member ttc, similar to the control mechanism of said Patent No. 2,108,726. The disc i122 has on i-ts upper surfaces a track portion of insulating material, a central portion i2@ of conducting material and an area |25 surrounding the track, likewise of conducting material. On the track |23 is a transverse strip |2 of conducting material, insulated from the areas |24 and |25.

Gn the underside of the disc |22 are two concentric conductor rings |21 and |28. The outer ring l is connected by suitable conductors |29 to the conductor areas |213, lit, Whereas the inner ring |27 is connected by a conductor I3@ to the transverse conductor strip |28. On the underside of the disc are two brushes ISI and |32, the former in engagement with the ring 23 and the latter in engagement with the ring l2?.

The purpose of the player is to manuvre the vehicle simulating member 58C -so as to keep it on the track 23. Member '53o has a brush Etc on the underside thereof, adapted to be in electrical engagement with the control rod 5D.

Means is provided to count the number of times the brush 69e contacts the transverse conductor |26, and thus, to count the number of laps which the car makes on the track |23.

Means is also provided, as Will be explained hereinafter, to keep a record of the number of times that the brush tc moves either onto the conductor areas |24 or |25, thus getting orf the track, such count being known as errors To this end, the top Wall 25C of the apparatus iEic has two openings |34 and |35. Printed above the opening |34 is the word errorsj and above the opening |35 is the word laps Mounted on shafts |35 and |31 within the apparatus, are counter wheels Etia and |31a, the top portions of which may be seen through the openings |315 and |35. The peripheries of the wheels are numbered from zero to 10. Mounted on the shafts |36 and |31 and xed to the wheels |3511 and |3112 are ratchet wheels |36?) and |311). The ratchet wheels are prevented from moving in one direction by springs I 35o and |310. Fixed to ratchet wheel |311), is a collar |38 provided with a radial tooth or projection I3@ aligned with the zero on the counter wheel |31a.

Fixed within the apparatus are a pair switches Idil and IM in contact with one another, but adapted to be moved out of contact by projection |39 on the collar |33 when the counter wheel |51 shows a Zero at Ithe top through the opening |35. When the counter Wheel is moved away from zero position, the switch arms idil and Ml contact each other.

To operate the ratchet wheel lll'ib, there is provided a solenoid |43, one side of which is connected by wire M4 to brush |32. The other side of the solenoid is connected by wire to switch arm HH. The ratchet wheel |3519 is operated by a solenoid |41, one side of which is connected by Wire |43 to the switch arm ldd. The other side of the solenoid is connected by wire ibi) to the brush Isl. The control rod 5B is electrically connected by wire |5| to one terminal |52 of a battery |53. The other terminal IEM of said battery is connected by wire |55 to the wire |555 and hence to one side of the solenoid |43 and to the switch arm Ml. The operating motor itl? has one side thereof connected to the battery terminal Mill and the other through the rheostat Ii to the other `battery terminal |52.

The operation of the apparatus lc will now be described:

Normally the parts are in a position shown in Fig. 2, with the switches Mii and iii! open. When the brush Stic of member 58e contacts conductor |26, a circuit is completed through solenoid M3 to rotate ratchet wheel |31b and hence counter wheel |3141 to bring number to View. Until that is done solenoid |131 cannot be energized because the switch M0, |4| would be open. After one lap is registered, then each time the brush on member 53e contacts conducting strip |26, the. 60

counter wheel |310. will register an additional lap, and each time said member contacts either of the two conducting areas |265, |25, solenoid |41 will be energized to register an error.

At the completion of a predetermined number of laps projection |39 on the collar |33 will disengage switches Mil and thereby breaking the circuit to solenoid |41 thus denoting the end of the game.

Extending into conducting Yfield |24 there are provided several small strips of insulating material |23a, the purpose of which is to make and break the circuit to the solenoid registering errors, should the vehicle simulating member 58e get on to the conducting field |24 and remain thereon.

It will thus be seen that there is provided a device in which the several objects of this invention are achieved, and which is Well adapted to meet the conditions of practical use.

As various possible embodiments might be made or the above invention, it is to be understood that all matter herein set forth or shown in the accompanying drawings is to be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

l. Apparatus of the character described, comprising a turntable, means to rotate the turntable, a non-circular track on the turntable, a vehicle simulating member on the turntable, manual means to control the position of the Vehicle simulating member on the turntable, as the turntable rotates, means to record the number of laps which the vehicle simulating member remains on the track, as the turntable rotates, means to record the number of times the vehicle simulating member gets off the track, and means to prevent the second recording means from operating until one lap is recorded on the rst recording means.

2. Apparatus of the character described, comprising a turntable, means to rotate the turntable, a non-circular track on the turntable, a Vehicle simulating member on the turntable, manual means to control the position of the vehicle simulating member on the turntable, as

the turntable rotates, and means to record the number of laps which the vehicle simulating member remains on the track, as the turntable rotates, said lap recording means, including means to control operation of the means to reco-rd the number of times the vehicle gets off the track.

3. Apparatus of the character described, comprising a turntable, means to rotate the turntable, a non-circular track on the turntable, a vehicle simulating member on the turntable, manual means to control the position of the vehicle simulating member on the turntable, as the turntable rotates, means to record the number of laps which the vehicle simulating member remains on the track, as the turntable rotates, means to record the number of times the vehicle simulating member'gets oi the track, and means to prevent the second recording means from operating until one lap is recorded on the iirst recording means, said preventing means also serving to stop operation of said second'recording means when said lap recordinglmeans records a predetermined number of laps.

4. Apparatus'of the character described, comprising a turntable,V means to rotate the turntable, a non-circular track on the turntable, a vehicle simulating member on` the turntable", manual means to control the position of the vehicle simulating member on the turntable, as the turntable rotates, means to record: the nurnber of laps which the vehicle simulatingmember remains on the track, as the turntable rotates, and means to record the number of times the vehicle simulating' member gets 01T the track, said last means including a conducting portion on the turntable, outside of the track and nonconducting portions projecting into said conducting portion.

EDWARD ROCUSKIE. 

